Premier League giants Manchester United and Arsenal face off on Sunday in league play, in what is set to be Arsene Wenger's final match against the Red Devils. There's more on the line for Jose Mourinho's club in this one, while the Gunners may take a cautious approach to this one.
Here's how you can watch the match, what's on the line and our prediction:
How to watch
When: Sunday at 11:30 a.m. ET
TV: NBCSN (Sky Sports Premier League in UK)
Stream: fuboTV (Try for free)
Follow: CBS Sports App
What's at stake?
For Manchester United (second place; 74 points), this is a chance to go five clear of third place and nearly cement a second-place finish. For Arsenal (sixth place; 57 points), don't be shocked to see some stars rest with Thursday's Europa League semifinal vs. Atletico Madrid on the team's mind. A top-four finish is out of reach at this point, so really Arsenal's best scenario in league is to finish sixth.
Prediction
Manchester United creeps closer to a second-place finish thanks to goals from Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez, who punishes his former club. Manchester United 2, Arsenal 1.
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Marouane Fellaini spoiled Arsene Wenger’s final trip to Old Trafford as his looping header in stoppage time doomed Arsenal to a 2-1 defeat.
Wenger’s side remain without an away Premier League point in 2018 but a squad with an average age scarcely over 24 had performed admirably at Manchester United, responding impressively to Paul Pogba’s 16th-minute opener with Henrikh Mkhitaryan equalising early in the second half.
Arsenal had shown the steel required to hold on to a draw but were undone by the sort of route one football Wenger has always eschewed, a long ball into the area flicked on by substitute Fellaini to earn a point.
With Europa League semi-final second leg at Atletico Madrid the unquestionable priority Wenger left at least half of the likely starters in London, naming the youngest league starting XI since that famous 8-2 drubbing at Old Trafford in 2011.
A centre-back pairing of Calum Chambers and 20-year-old debutant Konstantinos Mavropanos – originally signed in January with the intention of sending him out on loan to the Bundesliga – suggested Arsenal could be in for another rough night. But Jose Mourinho’s strongest side were in little mood to inflict pain on Wenger on his Old Trafford farewell.
Pogba spurned a superb early chance after the ball had broken to Nemanja Matic on the edge of the area. A delicate through ball found the Frenchman, who in his surprise swivelled and shot well wide from close range.
He would make no mistake soon after at the culmination of a move he had begun by driving past a flailing Granit Xhaka. Romelu Lukaku crossed from the right to Alexis Sanchez, who had drifted away from Hector Bellerin. The full-back’s diving intervention denied his former team-mate a goal but as the ball deflected back off the post Pogba was on hand to tap home.
Moments later Mkhitaryan, determined to show Mourinho why he was wrong to cast him aside so swiftly and callously, went close, fizzing a low shot past David de Gea after a brilliant backheel by Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
One of several young guns to shine on the Old Trafford stage, Maitland-Niles had a convincing shout for a penalty on 26 minutes when Sanchez went through the back of him. That incident came amid a period of Arsenal pressure where it might only have required a better cross from Hector Bellerin for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to tap in an equaliser.
It took until the second half for Arsenal to get the goal they had deserved and it was Xhaka – the subject of widespread chastisement for his role in Pogba’s opener – who set the Gunners on their way. The captain for the day beat Ander Herrera and Matic to a loose ball in midfield before slipping a pass through to Mkhitaryan.
Marshalled by the exceptional Mavropanos Arsenal looked to be holding on to an encouraging point but were denied at the last when Fellaini arched Ashley Young’s cross over a despairing David Ospina. On a day where Sir Alex Ferguson had bid farewell to his one-time rival and now dear friend Wenger might have hoped he had seen the last of 'Fergie Time'. It was not to be.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
Jose Mourinho is set to face Arsene Wenger for what it likely to be the last time in the Premier League when their sides meet this afternoon.
Spotted: Sir Alex's reaction as Fellaini spoils Wenger's farewell in Fergie time
Manchester United secured a 3-1 win when the two sides met earlier in the season, but neither team will feel they have a huge amount to play for today.
Arsenal have a tough second leg against Atletico Madrid coming up in the Europa League on Thursday, and have little to play for in the league as they sit 9 points behind fifth place Chelsea.
Manchester United will secure their top four finish with a draw today and will the players will want start switching their focus towards their FA Cup final with Chelsea in just a few weeks.
Arsenal’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images)
When is Manchester United vs Arsenal?
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The match is today (Sunday 29 April) with kick-off at 4.30pm.
What TV channel is Manchester United vs Arsenal on and is there a live stream?
Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event are showing the game live with coverage starting at 4.15pm.
What are the odds? (Courtesy of Betfair)
Manchester United – 2/5
Draw – 4/1
Arsenal – 7/1
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Team news
Sergio Romero remains out of action for Man United but the rest of the squad is fully fit for the fixture.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan is recovering from his recent injury, but he is unlikely to start against his former club as he continues his return to full fitness.
Mohamed Elneny is also still on the sidelines with an ankle injury.
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